Ring forming machine



July 17, 1956 A. J. LARSEN RING FORMING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 4. \jd/m v'E/u ATTORNEY July 17, 1956 A. .1. LARSEN 2,754,706

RING FORMING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ,4 n/zque-A/ ATTORNEY United States Patent '0 2,754,706 RING FORMING MACHINE Aksel J. Larsen, Flanders, N. J. Application May 28, 1952, Serial No. 290,537

3 Claims. (Cl. 80-5) This invention relates to ring-forming machines and more particularly to a machine of the character described provided with novel means for forming rings of predetermined desired dimension from blanks of different dimensions. The invention consists of the provision of a novel machine for the purpose mentioned, incorporating a number of features more particularly described hereinafter. One of the important features of the invention consists of the provision of novel means for inserting the ring blank into the machine and removing the finished ring therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel mechanisms in the machine to alter the dimensions of the blank to the desired final dimensions in a novel manner which permits accurate control throughout the manufacturing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for mounting rollers for the purposes mentioned to engage the sides of the blank. A further feature of the invention is to provide novel means for adjusting the vertical angular disposition of said rollers relative to the side walls of the blank during the manufacturing operation.

These and other advantageous objects, which will appear as the description progresses, are set forth in greater detail in the following specification and in the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of the unit of the machine containing the rollers to engage the sides of the blank being formed into the ring and having means to adjust the angular disposition thereof and to drive the same.

Fig. 2 is a similar but elevational view showing the rollers adjusted to a different angular position than that indicated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a schematic view to illustrate a drive mechanism which may be used in carrying out the invention,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a housing wherein the blank to be formed into the ring, pursuant to the invention, is positioned,

Fig. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the coordination and operation of parts of the machine,

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of one of the roller-bracket members which may be used in carrying out the invention,

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary partly sectional view of the ring holding and forming parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in the drawings, the ring-forming machine of this invention may be mounted on any suitable floor or other support 10 and comprises a housing 11 wherein the blank 12 to be formed into the ring of the desired final dimensions is positioned. Pursuant to the present invention, the ring may be formed from blanks of initially rough form, having apertures 13, pin 14 being passed through the blank aperture 13, as shown in Fig. 4. The

pin 14 may be mounted on suitable bearings 15, 16 in the housing, and may be removably inserted in the housing as, for example, by passing one end of the pin partly through an aperture in a wall of the housing and against a stop plate 18 on said wall. A latch member 19 may be pivotally or otherwise secured to the opposite wall of the housing in any convenient manner so that the end 20 of the latch member may, when desired, be positioned against the other end of the pin 14, and may be readily removed therefrom to permit removal of the pin (and thus the finished ring) when desired.

The outer circumferential edge 25 (Fig. 4) of the ring is formed by roller 26 which is held in constant bearing engagement therewith by suitable means, as, for example, a hydraulic plunger 27 vertically reciprocated in casing 28, provided with frame 29 on which shaft 30 keyed to roller 26 is. rotatably journalled. It will be appreciated that by the use of suitable controls connected to the hydraulic casing 28, the degree of pressure exerted by the roller 26 on the outer circumferential edge 25 of the blank may be accurately controlled. The side edges 35, 36 of the blank (Figs. 4 and 5) are engaged and formed by the side edge rollers 37, 38 journalled in the machine adjacent the housing 11 and in proper alignment therewith so that the said rollers, in conjunction with the outer circumferential edge roller 26, may be used to predetermine all of the dimensions of the finished ring.

As schematically shown in Fig. 5, wherein the arrows on the various parts indicate preferred directions of rotation thereof, axis 31 of journalling of rollers 37, 38, may be adjusted so as to define the desired angle 32 relative to the vertical axis 33 of the housing 11, so as to assure the rollers being maintained in constant and proper side engagement with the varying dimensions of the blank as it is formed into the final ring. To this end, the rollers 37, 38, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are journaled in brackets 39, 40 carried by shafts 41, 42. The free ends of said shafts may be housed in units indicated schematically by the rectangles 43, 44, and which may be hydraulic plungers, casings or like means which will constantly urge the brackets (and thereby the rollers 38, 37) into engagement with the side edges of the ring. The shaft 42 is journalled in bearings 45, 45; the shaft 41 being journalled in corresponding bearings, one of which, 46', is shown in Fig. 2; the other bearing for shaft 41 may generally correspond with the bearing 45. Gear segments 50, 50 are freely journalled on said shafts 41, 42, suitable spacers 51, 51' being interposed between the bearings for the said shafts 41, 42, and said gear segments.

A gear drive shaft 55 is journalled in said gear segments 50, 50' and rotatably passes through the brackets 39, 40, in which the rollers 37, 38 are journalled. Said rollers 37, 38 are provided with pinions 56, 56 (Fig. l) to mesh with worm gears or the like 57, 57 on the gear drive shaft 55. By this arrangement, the rollers 37, 33 may move laterally apart and toward each other pursuant to movement of the shafts 41, 42 to which the brackets 39, 40 carrying rollers 37, 38 are keyed in response to the control exercised by the operator on the source of power for moving the said shafts 41, 42 laterally. Said rollers 37, 38 will be constantly rotated notwithstanding such lateral movement thereof, by virtue of the gear arrangement just described,

Any other desired or convenient gear drive mechanism to attain the same end may be substituted, if so desired and suitable controls may be provided for the parts designated as 43, 44 and 28; as the invention is not limited to any particular form of controls, no further reference will be made thereto. It will, however, be apparent from a consideration of the foregoing, and particularly the showing in Fig. 5, that the operator, by use of controls, may ad ust the degree of pressure exerted by the rollers 37, 38

upon the sides of the blank being formed and by the roller 26 circumferentially edgewise thereon so as to permit the operator to completely and accurately control all of the dimensions of the ring fabricated on the machine of this invention.

Pursuant to the invention, the rollers 37, 38 are vertically adjustably mounted, so that the angle 32 of the axis 31 of said rollers relative to the vertical axis 33 of the housing 11 may be adjusted as above described.

In Figs. 1 and 2, a means for attaining this adjustment is shown comprising a pinion shaft 58 journalled in suitable bearings 58a, 58b, 58c. Pinions 59, 59 are keyed to said pinion shaft 58 and a control mechanism, such as the hand wheel 60 keyed to the shaft 58, may be used to rotate the shaft and to thereby adjust the angle 32 of the axis 31 of the rollers 37, 38, relative to a vertical axis 33 of the housing 11, as desired.

Fig. 3 of the drawings schematically shows a drive mechanism which may be used in carrying out the invention, comprising a source of power 61, which may be a motor or other power source, driving the gear 62 in mesh with gears 63, 64, keyed to shafts 30, 55 through flexible connections 65, 66. By an arrangement of that sort (or other means to that end) the shafts 55, 30 may be synchronously driven.

Fig. 6 illustrates details of construction of the bracket 4-0 (bracket 39 being of corresponding construction). Bracket 40 is shown provided with horizontally spaced arms 67, 68, in which the small rollers 69, 70 are rotatably journalled, and with vertically spaced arms 71, 72, in which the pinion 56 is journalled. The roller 38, indicated in dotted lines, is disposed between arms 67, 68, and engaged by the rollers 69, 70, which are so arranged, as shown in Fig. 7, as to preferably engage the roller 38 at a point opposite that at which one gear, as 57' engages one pinion as 56. This arrangement is found convenient for assuring the smooth rotation of the roller 38 in the bracket 40. Other suitable expedients to the same end may be substituted, if so desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A deforming guide for use in conjunction with an apparatus having a housing, means to support an open blank 4 in said housing and roll means to press said blank against said supporting means and thus determine one dimension of the ring to be formed, said deforming guide comprising a pair of elongated rollers for contact with the edges of the blank to deform the same to determine another di mension of the ring to be formed, brackets in which said deformity rollers are journalled, means to pivotally mount said brackets in said machine at a given point, means to urge the brackets together to compress the blank therebetween, and means engaging said brackets for rotating said brackets around said pivot point to thereby progressively adjust the axial disposition of the deforming rollers on the blank as the latter is formed to the desired ring form.

2. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, said means to pivotally mount said brackets in said machine including shafts keyed to said brackets and journalled for pivotal movement wherein said means engaging said brackets does so at points spaced from said pivot points to rotate the brackets about said pivot points.

3. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, said means to pivotally mount said brackets in said machine including shafts keyed to said brackets and journalled for pivotal movement, wherein said means engaging said brackets does so at points spaced from said pivot points to rotate the brackets about said pivot points said last mentioned means comprising driving means operatively connected to gear segments which are pivotally journalled on said bracket shafts, a connecting shaft journalled in said gear segments and in said brackets at points spaced from said bracket shafts, means to drive said connecting shaft, means to operably connect said shaft and said rollers for driving said rollers in said brackets so that the rollers may be constantly rotated even when the brackets are moved toward and away from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 318,129 Munton May 19, 1885 1,432,228 Ackermann Oct. 17, 1922 2,035,598 Eckfeldt et a1 Mar. 31, 1936 2,184,463 Morgan Dec. 26, 1939 

